Six: The First Encounter

Before Saturis stood a four meter tall Shadow Demon locked in combat with several Encodeds. Or rather, decimating the Encodeds. Each time an Encoded tried to attack, they would be swatted away like a fly.

Looking at the Shadow Demon, Saturis discovered its features were more defined. Though it was still black like a Shadow, it was now with different shades of black so that its features could be identified.

The Shadow Demon looked like a person, in that it possessed a torso and two legs. But that was were the similarities ended. Because this Shadow Demon had no head. It instead had five arms around its body. Its legs were coming out of the side of its torso so it looked like it was squatting. And it had eyes all over its body.

As Saturis stared, he felt his skin crawl when one of the eyes looked at him, locking gazes with him.

Analyzing the situation, Saturis thought for a moment if he should help. With one glance, it was evident the Encodeds were losing. As to why they didn't just run away, Saturis did not know. But chalked it up to a theory that the Shadow Demon was too fast to outrun.

Though the situation looked hopeless, there were more than four Encodeds holding their own against the Shadow Demon. Which was the main reason compelling Saturis to help.

If he were to traverse this world and accomplish his mission, he would need help. But he wouldn't give his if it would cost his life.

"She's alive." Nuisance said, but Saturis didn't even flinch. All his attention was on the Encodeds.

Looking at the Shadow Demon, Saturis was certain that it wasn't at a Cerberus rank. Else everyone here would be dead. If anything it was ranked at Gorgon. 

Which was a plausible win. With his skills added to the foray, there was a chance they could defeat it.

"No you can't." Nuisance said, then without permission, he changed Saturis' Class.

Before Saturis could say a word, he found Nuisance channelling his power and healing the Encoded.

Further more, the dagger in his hand had changed to a staff with a glass orb at the top. Indicating his Class was indeed a Healer.

A but flabbergasted, Saturis didn't know what to even react to. If it was the fact that Nuisance just changed his Class without Saturis' permission. Or the fact that he could channel his Affinity to heal the Encoded, or if it was the fact that he knew something about the Shadow Demon which he didn't.

"I'm sure we both know what you really want to know." Nuisance said with an indifferent tone.

"I guess so." Saturis had said, eager to hear what Nuisance had to say.

While he waited, one of the Encodeds barely fighting fighting off the Shadow Demon had noticed Saturis. And she had noticed him talking to a green light source of some kind.

But her sights on him did not last when she had to return her attention to the fight.

"That Shadow Demon has a strong defense. It can see all attacks coming and it can act quickly against them. Blinding it wouldn't work either because its eyes can withstand any damage. Or even intense light." Nuisance said as he continued to heal the Encoded.

"Then what can I do?" Saturis had asked.

By then Nuisance was done healing the Encoded so she let out a big exhale before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Now being done with the Healer Class, Nuisance changed Saturis' Class once more so he held a wrench in his hand.

"You can become an Engineer." Nuisance said.

***

Jumping into tej foray, Saturis was bombarded with a plathora of sounds.

It has come with such a weight Saturis felt his ears would buckle under the pressure.

Struggles, clashing of weapons, the roaring of the Shadow Demon, the bursting of Affinity either energy, lightning or others more nuanced.

But no matter the gravity of each, he could hear it all.

Truly, this sound barrier of a thing needed some getting used to.

Rushing in, Saturis pulled the attention of several Encodeds for a second. A second that had cost most of them dearly.

Everyone wondered who this person was, while either being happy that there were more hands to help, or there was a foe here to destroy.

It didn't matter what everyone thought about him, because he knew what he wanted to do.

Ignoring the fight and the Encodeds as a whole, Saturis ran to the other side of the battlefield to everyone's surprise.

He stopped in front of a fallen tree, which was covered in strange moss that had prickly twigs shooting at of its entire.

Utilizing his wrench in a wrong manner, he slammed it into the bark. Breaking it open so what hid inside could be revealed.

Acting with great urgency, Saturis broke off as much of the moss as he could, revealing a large piece of metal with strange glowing patterns running across the piece.

Looking at the part of the machine, Saturis found a screen appearing in front of it. And it read out:

[UNIDENTIFIED MACHINERY]

[ANALYZE MACHINERY?]

"Yes." Saturis said, but nothing happened up until Nuisance appeared in front of him and activated it himself.

[ANALYZING]

[ANALYZING]

[MACHINE IDENTIFIED]

[MACHINE NAME: SONIC IMMOBILIZER]

[MACHINE STATE: NONFUNCTIONAL]

[MACHINE DEGRADATION LEVEL: LOW]

[ENGINEERING LEVEL REQUIREMENTS MET]

[SCHEMICATICS UPDATED]

Once Saturis had seen the last notification, a holographic diagram of the machine in its entirety appeared before Saturis.

The machine looked like a robotic spider with a long blaster attached to its head.

Before Saturis' eyes the machine had disassembled itself, then it began to highlight parts of it that needed repairs.

After soaking up the information — which due to his Class was not difficult in the slightest — a new screen had appeared in front of him.

[ITEMS REQUIRED FOR REPAIRS: ONIMUM CORE, GELTIC COG, JIRADIUM METAL ×3, HELON WIRES]

[TOOLS REQUIRED FOR REPAIRS: UNCASER, QUASARIC DRILL, XENON DRIVER, TERIUM WRENCH]

Looking at the items Saturis needed for the repairs left him in a mild dispair. Because, as he had recently learned, his Affinity was called Mol-Reconfiguration — which was a starter Affinity for all Engineer Class — and the Affinity granted an Engineer the Ability to change the molecular structure of any item into any other item of a solid structure.

In other words, he could change a rock, branch or even sand to any of the Items listed out by his Framework.

But the problem was that he was only able to change four Items. While he needed a total of seven Items.

"Dammit. Your plan is falling apart." Saturis said to Nuisance who was busy looking in another direction.

"Not yet it's not." Nuisance said with a confidence that made Saturis confused.

Sensing something approaching, Saturis transformed his wrench into a saw, then did a 180 before taking a defensive stance, ready to lash out at whatever was coming his way.

But when he turned, to his surprise, he didn't find any attackers, but Encodeds. They gathered around him, each of them bearing a glowing faint light of varying colors adjacent their heads, their Kritens.

Two of them stepped forward, making Saturis a bit uneasy. Up until they spoke.

"Two of us here are Engineers." One of the Encoded had said. "How can we help?"